The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-11-26
CHATTANOOGA,
Major Widmer's Graphic Description Of
its Battles and Siege.

fair but enthusiastic audience on Monday
evening, who had gathered to hear the story
Of months starvation, fatigue and battle,
in and about the now thriving city Of Ten.
nessee.
The Major makes no attempt at heavy dis
play in description his speaking is Of d.
rectly opposite type, and were 1t not for the
earnest manner evinced, it would be almost
monotonous.
He began with a short statement Of the
causes and opening scenes Of the rebellion,
and gradually worked down to the subject
announced, with which every one was soon
convinced he was thoroughly acquainted.
The Battle of Chickamauga, strange as it
may seem, was proclaimed by the press Of
the North defeat for the Union, and by
the South q southern disaster. This view Of
the case was technically correct, for while
both were striving for the possession of the
town of Chattanooga, the northern men cap
tured it, but lost the battlefield. The loss on
both sides was enormous, the confederates
losing, according to Bragg's own statement,
$4,000 men, while the northern dead num-
bered 1900.
After the battle the Union forces fortified
themselves in the town, while the southern
forces fairly surrounded them with Gordon
of rifle pits and Notifications, behind which
10000 veterans cut off their communication
with the outside world. There were 10000
men In blue in the town and valley, but such
was the lay of the land that in actual con-
fict the 10000 behind the Entertainments on
the mountain and hill sides were more than
match for the forces of Rosencrans On
one side was Lookout Mountain, on the other
Mission Ridge, while on the remaining sides
hills and mountains abounded. Natural
breast works and natural forts were open to
the confederates, and they sat down to starve
Rosencrans out. In a short time the rations
of the men were cut down one.half, then re-
duced to one-third, and finally toward the
latter end to one-quarter Of days supply.
Animals died by the thousands, and in some
instances men gathered around the slaughter
yards and ate things that are unmentionable
here. During this fearful period the men
labored like heroes upon the Entertainments,
and every point Of vantage was made the To-
cation of battery. Some of the men were
without shoes, others without stockings,
while all were ragged and hungry; but in
this critical condition Of things the Army Of
the Cumberland never wavered, and nowhere
was greater devotion shown to any flag in
any nation. Applause.
At about the 21st of November General
Grant, who was now in command, had about
perfected his plans for racing the siege
Let us now forget the time and place of our
existence, and stand within the ranks Of the
stars and stripes on that November day at
Chattanooga. You are with a regiment Ct
Illinois infantry ttat has just stacked arms.
Every way you turn you find beauty. You
are in the arena Of vast amphitheatre, the
basin Of vast range of mountains. Mission
Ridge, 600 to 800 feet in height, on the
south on the east lies gap, through which
you may see the woods where Thomas held
the whole confederate army at bay on the
day of Chickamauga. All around you are
these vast ranges, and above them all, above
the very clouds themselves, stands Look
out Mountain. Between you and the noun
tains, on two sides, are ranges of foot hills,
perhaps 100 feet high, with gaps between
their elevated points. 1t is scene whose
magnificence overpowers the senses and sets
the works of men back into the shades Of
oblivion. Our regiment is on one side of the
Chickamauga creek, and not more than thir-
ty feet away, on the other side of it, stand
the confederate pickets. By long associa-
ton, sort of friendship had sprung
up between us and these Johnnies, and it
was well understood that there should be no
firing, unless there was some decision to be
arrived at. We chatted and cracked jokes
across the line, and traded for tobacco, tea
and coffee.
Of that great army of 10000 blue, most
all were beardless boys, scarce twenty and
twenty one. In their pockets were lou
rounds of ammunition, and as the morning
of the battle dawned none were excited. and
you would have thought them entirely in the
dark on the subject. But they are veterans
at 20, the wire edge has been worn away
they know Of the battle, know that many
will be killed. There are many Of them that
could give their leaders pointers. They ap-
pear and are unconcerned, and act upon the
theory that if they are to be killed they will
be killed anyhow, and therefore there is no
use in being uneasy. At one o'clock Sher-
mans corps, which had been sent around
the side of Lookout Mountain, opens the
battle. The sound is very faint, like distant
thunder, but comes nearer and nearer, until
you can scarcely hear yourself speak. Then
the bugle blows, and our regiment falls in
- r..,oh M to-o ri Tookout We reaeh the